Dear Liz: My wife and I recently retired. Our investments are managed by a certified financial planner. Our nest egg has not shown much growth over the last several years. We think it is time for another professional advisor to analyze our portfolio and see if we are really heading in the right direction. Is this […]
Recent Blog Posts
Q&A: Divorced spouse benefits and remarriage
Dear Liz: My recently divorced girlfriend receives Social Security based on her ex-husband, who is still living. If we were to get married, would either of us lose part or all of our Social Security benefits? It seems like a simple, straightforward question, but every Social Security representative I speak with by phone or in person […]
Q&A: How landlords weigh your credit history when deciding whether to rent to you
Dear Liz: I recently paid off a large amount of credit card debt: over $15,000 in total to several credit card companies. How long does it take for my credit report to reflect that? I will be moving into an apartment in the next month or two. I don’t want my application to be denied because my debt […]
This week’s money news
This week’s top story: September mortgage rates forecast. In other news: Striking writer, 7 balance transfer credit card mistakes, and how to avoid them, and stock market outlook: September 2023. September Mortgage Rates Forecast: Not Yet at the Top Mortgage rates might rise in September, for the fifth month in a row, because of uncertainty about […]
Q&A: When selling a vacation home, here are the taxes to expect
Dear Liz: I am one-third owner of a vacation house. My siblings own the other two-thirds. We inherited the house from a parent about 10 years ago. I want to sell my third to my siblings, who are willing and able to buy it. Can I do anything to avoid capital gains? Would it make a […]
Q&A: How delayed Social Security retirement credits work
Dear Liz: I just got off the phone with the Social Security folks and they told me the 8% delayed retirement credit is based on your benefit at full retirement age, rather than an 8% increase every year based on the previous year’s amount. So, if my full retirement age benefit was $3,000, my benefit increases […]